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Children, Ants, and Kleptomaniacs: (Part 2: Homosexuality and Marriage)

Drew Froese



IF YOU'VE ALREADY READ the red writing on a preivous blog, skip to the bottom area (starting with the black writing ) \\

 

Here we go… I’m going to be addressing a list of topics that would be better for my status, approval and likeability if I just let other people write about it (as many have) and “just focus on ‘pastoring’ things.” But the very reason I feel compelled to write about these topics are approval and pastoring. While these posts may lose me the approval of many, the approval from the only one that matters (God) is what matters. On top of that, my greatest responsibility in pastoring is to help others know, love and follow Jesus, and to place God’s Word and authority at the core of everything. 

 

But, there is another catalyst to these writings: The current culture’s embracing of the topics and ideologies I’ll be covering are heartbreaking, disturbing, sinful, and harmful. Yet they are being championed, accepted, and celebrated. We are at a point in history where confusion is the exulted king, and many Christians are “going with the flow,” because the cost to stand up for truth is already too costly. In the name of “love” we have capitulated to insanity, believing that our influence in the world will be reduced with a bold Biblical worldview that refuses to bend to the current “truth.” Sadly, our unwillingness to plant our flag in the ground because the issues “aren’t important enough”, has resulted in a society that murders babies, mutilates kids, celebrates unhindered sexual expression, encourages insanity and lies, and tells our children ‘You can be whatever you want to be and do whatever you want to do.’ In short, we have been too timid for too long, and now the group that is suffering the most (our children) are being herded to a place they’ve been told is safe, good, and loving, but in fact, only provides the opposite.

 

These writing are for THE CHURCH- meaning Jesus loving, Bible believing, Christ-following, full of grace and truth Christians- If you are not this, then nothing I write will make any sense until you fix your eyes on Jesus, place your faith in Him, and decide that His ways are the best. If you don’t follow Jesus, I pray this for you- that you would seek truth, seek salvation, and when you see that truth and salvation are not found in our own creation, but are found in Jesus, the truth will set you free.

 

For those that are THE CHURCH- these writings are for you, so let me start with the general application: WE MUST NOT BE SILENT. WE MUST STAND UP FOR OUR CHILDREN. WE MUST INFLUENCE ALL AREAS OF THE PUPLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. WE MUST FILTER AND LIVE THROUGH A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW- NO MATTER THE COST. WE CAN’T CAPITULATE TO ANY OF SOCIETIES INSANITY, WE MUST FOLLOW GOD’S WORD….

 

AND WE MUST DO THIS ALL OUT OF LOVE AND FOR LOVE (AND THAT LOVE IS ONLY DEFINED BY GOD).

 

To begin, clarity is not found where we might think. Being precise in definitions, identifying what the “real issue” is, understanding differing perspectives and viewpoints may help in our communication, but all these things will not bring about clarity until one core question is settled: Who has the ultimate authority over these issues? (1 Corinthians 3:19) If our answer to this question is anything other than, “God,” we have elevated that “other” thing/ person/ organization above God in a way that assures us of disaster. Would it be wise, or even good to allow an elementary student to guide us in the works of Shakespeare? Are ants here to dictate to us how to think, what to do, and what is right? Should a kleptomaniac be asked to define what stealing is? As obvious as the answer to each of these questions are, this is what we’ve done with each of these issues. We’ve allocated our understanding and reaction to these issues to human reasoning, our laws, and most dangerously-our feelings, unaware (or deliberately ignoring) the fact that both our history and our current reality prove we are but children, ants, and kleptomaniacs.

 

Since the fall of man we’ve had differing and changing perspectives on good and evil, right and wrong, and what humans should and shouldn’t do to one another. But this isn’t just a story of history; when we look over the current landscape of the world’s cultures, we have the same myriad of opinions on morality as those crazy and abhorrent perspectives of the past. Though morality has always been a moving target in the human heart (reveling its corruptibility) we a moral guide that is eternal, holy, and unchanging. May we not fool ourselves into thinking that we are wiser than this guide, instead we need to humbly submit to His authority, His wisdom, and His Word. Once we accept the authority God has, we must not simply make a mental agreement, we must then bow our knees and orient our lives to His Word. In other words, we find clarity in these issue from God and God alone.


On June 26th, 2015 the Supreme Court ruled that, “same-sex couple, no matter where they live, have the same legal right to marry as different-sex couples.

 

Around 31 A.D. Jesus said, “‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate,” which was He was quoting from what God had said at the establishment of creation. (Gen 2:24)

 

In 54 A.D. Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote, “9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

 

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling on this the Church has been trying to tiptoe and navigate the complexities of this issue, correctly identifying how deeply personal and tension-filled this once taboo topic is. We aren’t just dealing with laws, we are dealing with people; people who God loves, people who have been mistreated in the name of “Jesus,” people whom we love. For people who hold a true Biblical Worldview, it is clearer than crystal that actions and thoughts that don’t align with God’s design for intimacy and marriage are wrong and should never be endorsed by the state (or anyone). Behind closed doors, or in our holy huddles our hearts break and we are disturbed by the amorality of our culture and the celebration of that which God condemns. Yet in public our voices have quieted, our disposition has tamed, and our answers have been muddied. Often, in the name of “love” we have stopped fighting (or even speaking out) against behavior that is now so culturally embraced. Instead, many of us have taken the approach of focusing on Jesus with prayers asking for the hearts of those we love to change. While this is done with noble intentions, the approach and result are revealing how out of touch we are about it’s efficacy. Our nation, who in 2015, decided to title something marriage that is not only NOT marriage, but is a direct afront to it, has lost ability to ground marriage in any reality. Not only that, but the advertisement and entertainment industry has decided to continually highlight unholy unions, normalizing what 30 years ago was (properly) something we would never celebrate.

 

Why and how have we got here? There are many aspects that play into this, and perhaps it is simply God giving us over to our evil desires, but that comes from drifting (or outright rejecting) His desires. The writings of scripture are not unclear on this. As much as some liberal and progressive people have tried to splice and dice God’s Word to make it say what they want, the results are clearly their words, not His. Homosexuality is absolutely against God’s will and God’s design. It doesn’t matter what name the state gives it, it is NOT marriage, and as Christians we should not capitulate to our cultures hijacking of the word. God requires that we follow Him, because He first loved us. This order is important because it both reminds us that any parameters God has given us are out of love and that our motivation for calling people from their sin should be out of love. Now, that deals with making sure our perspective and motivation are centered on God, but for many, it’s the application of HOW to navigate the relationships with those we know that needs some attention.

 

First, we are called to not lie. Language matters and capitulating to societies redefinition of marriage is affirming a lie. Again, marriage is only between a man and a woman, so if any other act is called marriage, if people are called ‘husbands’ or ‘wives’ in these partnerships we must not give over to the language of the culture. “Partner” is fine, but a husband is a counterpart to a wife and visa versa. While this may seem a semantic issue that isn’t that big of deal, our words reveal what we believe and even who we follow. If we lean into societies definitions we are agreeing to the redefinition, and saying, “marriage, husband/wife,” can be defined these other ways.

 

Second, we are to hold fast to knowing that following Jesus is the most loving thing we can do.  The world will say that any action that isn’t affirming is un-loving and we may be tempted to believe this. Our desire to show others love by the way they want to be loved can easily cross over to idolization of acceptance, which is what the Bible calls “fear of man.” The pressures, emotions, and accusations of those in front of us can drive us to want to bend. We must remember, in all areas of our lives, the most loving thing we can do for others is to follow Jesus and call others to do the same. Fear of God remembers this: Any desire I have to abandon what God says reveals means, “fear of man is guiding me”, but God knows best and so it is His way I will follow. As I’ve said many times before: We must be full of grace and truth.

 

Third, the implication of following Jesus while facing conversations, invitations, and relationships are many. What do I say? What do I not say? When do I say something? Do I go to that event? What if they don’t know Jesus? Etc. While each case is different, it is our responsibility to navigate these tensions under God’s authority, not social pressures. Living in step with the Holy Spirit, praying without ceasing, while having a heart bowing to God, will provide guidance in these circumstances.

 

Lastly, let me address a nuance that seems to be growing: Those who say, “The Bible doesn’t address this topic,” or still some who make the wild claim that, “The Bible affirms same-sex relationships.” Though many explanations are used to affirm these statement, every one is short-sighted, intentionally ignorant, and logically inconsistent. Just yesterday I listened to an hour interview with someone who is one of the leading proponents of a homosexual affirming Bible, and though this person has done extensive study to reach their conclusion, it was blatantly obvious that the conclusions reached were biased and intentionally ignorant of logic and ignorant of faithful Biblical exegesis. As a challenge to all of us: we must make sure that we aren’t reading our conclusions into the Bible (eisegesis). It’s been said that, “you can make the Bible say whatever you want it to say.” That is true, with very poor interpretive methods, and that is why we must take Bible study seriously, and we must have alarm bells go off when someone offers a “new” revelation about scripture. This doesn’t mean there won’t be times when we need to do some tough work to make sure we are understanding the Bible correctly, but it doesn’t mean we use our cultural norms to rewrite scripture. The tough work is going back to the author’s intended meaning. It means studying specific writings within its immediate context as well as how the writing fits within the entirety of scriptures revelation on the topic. Anyone who uses scripture to affirm marriage or sexual engagement in anyway other than in a monogamous male/female marriage has not done faithful, honest work of the text. Let me assure you, you do not need to be an expert to see the discrepancy.  So, though the pressures of our culture may have you leaning to cede to some of these things, but I want to encourage you to truly love those around you by holding fast to what God says, speaking truth in love, and not giving into word hijacking.

 

I pray following God’s way, in all ways, is seen for what it is: A beautiful invitation to human flourishing in relationship with Him. And I pray that, as Christians, we speak and share this truth boldly, no matter the social pressures, ignoring the false narrative that it is unloving, but doing so because it is, actually, the MOST LOVING.

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